Here I raise mine Ebenezer, hither by thy help I'm come.

Samuel took a large stone and placed it between the towns of Mizpah and Jeshanah. He named it Ebenezer—"the stone of help"—for he said, "Up to this point the Lord has helped us!" —1 Samuel 7:12, NLT

23 years. Here I raise my Ebenezer.
This year of life can be compared to standing out in the ocean with waves catching you by surprise. One passes by and you've had just a moment to take a breath before another swallows you whole, and maybe the next gets you before you've caught your breath and boom there you are back under the water.  "all your waves and your billows passed over me" (Jonah 3:3). Notice Jonah says all YOUR waves and YOUR billows. He knows these are from Him. It may seem strange that  it gives me comfort in knowing these are His waves because knowing they are from Him allows me to trust they are meant for my good and His glory. He is good.  Although we may feel like we are drowning,  He promises to be with us! He has hemmed us in behind and before... . "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers they shall not overwhelm you." (Isaiah 43:3). He doesn't say that you won't feel like they are going to overwhelm you.. only that they won't and yet He will be with you.
Each of the waves were His waves, and meant to shape. This year of life has had some of the hardest and sweetest moments intertwined. He has brought me to His banqueting table, and His banner over me is love(Song of Songs 2:4).

I have a knack for long-windedness (sorry people). I'm trying to keep this one short which is hard when you like details, but thankfully He is the God of the details. Because of this, He has given me eyes to see so many of His details, and thus more reasons to rejoice!  He has answered and worked even before a word was on my lips because He discerns my thoughts from afar. I am intimately known by the Creator of the Universe who knew all of my days before there was one of them.

One blog post couldn't do this year justice. Soooo....

 
Here I raise mine Ebenezer;
hither by thy help I'm come;
and I hope, by thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
he, to rescue me from danger,
interposed his precious blood.
—Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Comments

  1. ElizabethJanuary 8, 2013 at 7:45 PM

    Kirsten...this was EXACTLY what I needed to read tonight. Thank you so much for your honesty and sweet trust in our Savior. It's such an encouragement to me. Love you, friend!

    ReplyDelete
  2. JanetJanuary 15, 2013 at 5:55 PM

    Love. That is all.

    ReplyDelete

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